A beautiful flashmob: the members of Opera Națională Română Cluj-Napoca (Romanian National Opera Cluj-Napoca) in the co-production of the Hungarian Opera of Cluj enter a shopping mall, and sing publicly “Di Quella Pira”, a popular tenor aria (or more specifically cabaletta) sung by Manrico in Act 3, Scene 2 of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera in four acts, “Il Trovatore”. Soloist: Héctor López Mandoza, the Mexican tenor. The chorus then performs Anvil Chorus, the English term for the Coro di zingari (Italian Gypsy chorus), a piece of music from Act 2, Scene 1 of Giuseppe Verdi’s Il trovatore (The Troubador, 1853) which depicts Spanish Gypsies striking their anvils at dawn -hence its English name- and singing the praises of hard work, good wine, and their Gypsy women.Continue reading Di Quella Pira and Anvil Chorus (Flashmob)→

Accompanied by the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker (Dusseldorf Symphony Orchestra), the Russian violinist Alena Baeva performs Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovski’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35. Written in 1878, it is one of the best known and most performed violin concertos, and is considered one of the most technically difficult works for the violin. In the second part of the concert, the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker performs Tchaikovski’s Romeo and Juliet, TH 42, ČW 39, an orchestral work completed by September 10, 1880, but did not receive its premiere until May 1, 1886. It is styled an Overture-Fantasy, and is based on Shakespeare’s play of the same name. Conductor: Alexandre Bloch. Published by the AVROTROS Klassiek channel.Continue reading Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto and Romeo and Juliet (Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Violin: Alena Baeva)→

American operatic tenor Gregory Kunde (born on February 24, 1954) has been singing for decades at not only a high level but also high tessitura. Having conquered the high F (above tenor high C), he now is conquering the spinto repertoire. He already has entered his 60s, yet sounds remarkably fresh. Here he sings perhaps the most famous of all tenor arias, “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot, an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini. Recorded on July 12, 2015 inside Carrara Cathedral. Piano: Giulio Zappa.Continue reading Gregory Kunde sings Nessun Dorma→